


Jack O'Lantern : Guardian of Fun

by Kanato_Sakamaki_Is_Bae



Series: RoTG AUs [2]
Category: Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: AU, M/M, More tags to be added, Polyamory, Sex, There will be sex
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-05
Updated: 2017-08-22
Packaged: 2018-05-05 03:41:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 7,121
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5359751
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kanato_Sakamaki_Is_Bae/pseuds/Kanato_Sakamaki_Is_Bae
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack didn't die from falling into the lake. He died saving his sister from a wolf. The man in the moon didn't bring him back as Jack Frost. He brought him back as Jack O'Lantern, an autumn spirit. But the wolf that attacked him wasn't normal. It was a fearling. Now Jack has to help the Guardians defeat Pitch while keeping his volatile second nature in check. Join Jack in the hell that is being an immortal teenaged half-fearling autumn spirit. This is going to be interesting.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Darkness. It was dark and cold and he was scared. Until he opened his eyes and saw the moon. It was so big and bright, it seemed to chase away the darkness. It lowered him to the ground, where his foot brushed a shepherd's staff. He picked it up and the grooves in the black wood lit up purple. Vines grew along it until they hit the ends. He dropped one end and it hit the earth where vines sprung up after it. A grin spread across his face as he ran around the clearing, dragging his staff behind him, causing vines to spring up from the ground, pumpkins growing and ripening in seconds instead of months.

He didn't notice the wind picking up until it swept him off his feet. He fell onto a tree branch and looked up at the moon. He heard it whisper, silver light and warm, "Jack O'Lantern..." "Is that...me...?", he asked, but received no answer. He looked around and saw a village outside of the forest. He dropped down and, on a whim, looked through the pumpkins. He picked up a pumpkin the size of his hand and watched as a glowing face melted (or rotted, depending on how you look at it) into it. He looked at the pumpkin, then his staff, and hung the pumpkin on the end of the vine. He half expected it to fall, but it didn't. Instead it floated perfectly in the center of the crook. The light from it lit up the clearing.

A low hissing from behind him made him spin around. He saw a black...thing. It was shaped like a fox, but completely black with glowing yellow eyes. Purple eyes widened, and the thing (fearling, a voice in his head supplied) leaped at him. He lifted his staff in front of him and a purple flash hit the fearling. It fell back, then got up, shook itself, and looked at him with yellow eyes slowly turning glowing purple instead. When the eyes were completely purple, it opened it's mouth and seemed to grin at him. He hesitantly grinned back, and the fearling began to change form. It turned into a human shape, maybe a little shorter than him, and then bowed. It then changed back to a fox and flew around him, rubbing on him and tugging him in the direction of the village.

He followed on the wind and landed somewhat clumsily in the village square. The fearling laughed, he glared, and they walked into the village. He avoided bumping into people, until he saw a young child running around. He bent down and said, "Excuse me, can you tell me where I am?" But the child didn't answer, instead running through him. He gasped and jumped back, but couldn't avoid being walked through twice more. It hurt! It felt like being turned inside out. He turned and walked out of the village, back into the forest, with the fearling following behind sadly.


	2. Chapter 2

North Pole, 300 years later

A teenage boy, maybe 19, was sitting at a desk, listening to classical russian music, humming along, and chipping at a block of ice. The iceblock slowly began to look like a toy train, and he sent it along an ice track until it lifted up and wings slid out of the sides of it. The boy laughed as it flew around the room, up until a yeti opened the door and crushed it. Both the yeti and the boy gasped, and the boy said, "How many times must I tell you to knock!?", in a thick russian accent. The yeti said something which made the boys blue eyes widen behind his white bangs.

He moved to the Globe Room, shooing elves away, and watched as the lights flickered. "Have you checked axis? Is rotation balanced?", he asked. The yetis were about to answer when a wind blew into the room, and black sand covered the globe, shifting into the form of a man, evil laughter ringing out. "It cannot be... Dingle, make preparations. Ve are going to have guests.", he said after the figure disappeared. Four elves stepped forward, but he didn't care. Someone would take care of it.

He pulled a lever up, twisted it to the left, then pushed it back down. The Aurora Boriealis lit up the sky, promising that the other three guardians would arrive soon. "My friends, it is our job to protect the children of the vorld from harm. An evil ve have not faced for many centuries has returned, so ve must once again stop him." Somewhere in India a teenage girl flit through her palace giving orders to her mini fairies, her multicolored hair shining, when she saw the aurora and flew as fast as she could to the pole. Somewhere in North America a golden teenage boy was floating on a cloud of sand, weaving dreams for the children, when he saw the aurora. He turned his cloud into a plane, forming sand googles as well, and took off toward the pole. Somewhere underground a gray blur shot through a tunnel, coming up just outside of the workshop. The teenage boy curled in on himself, and yelled, "Crikey, it's cold!", in a heavy australian accent. He ran on all fours down to the workshop, shouting how he couldn't feel his feet.

The four converged in the globe room, where the boy in charge of the workshop told his fellow guardians what he had seen. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, I thought ya said ya saw Pitch.", the gray-haired boy said while painting an egg. "Vell, not exactly...", the other boy started. "Can ya believe him?", he asked the golden boy. The star formed a few quick shapes over his head. "Yeah, ya said it, Sandy." "Pitch vas here. At the pole. Something is going on. I feel it. In my belly.", Nick said, and three mini fairies looked at his stomach. "Hold on. Ya mean ta tell me that ya summoned me here, two weeks before Easter because o' yer belly!? Mate, if I did this ta ya two weeks before Christmas-", he started. "Ah, but Aster, Easter is not Christmas.", Nick said with a grin. "Here we go... Look mate, I'm dealin' with perishables. Ya've got all year ta prepare!", Aster said. While they argued, Sandy notuced the moon was trying to talk.

He shook an elf, and the Christmas spirit turned and said, "Ah, Man in Moon! Sandy, vhy didn't you say something?" Sandy fumed. "It's been a long time old friend. Vhat is news?", he asked. The moon showed a shadow of a man. "It is Pitch...", Aster said. Manny then made the crystal rise from the floor. The others gasped, and Aster was begging for the new guardian to not be the Groundhog. Manny then showed a picture of a teenage boy in a black hoodie with white hair, purple eyes, and a staff. Aster laid his rabbit-like ears back, and said, "I take it back, the Groundhog's fine." "Jack O'Lantern.", the other boy with white hair said with an appraising look. "He doesn't care about children! All he does is scare people and grow pumpkins! He's an irresponsible, selfish-", Aster said. "Guardian.", Nick interrupted. "Jack O'Lantern is many things, but he is not a Guardian.", Aster said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> While watching Rotg, the thing that struck me was that the guardians are all adults except for Jack. I thought that if they were going to be guardians of childhood, they should be a bit closer to the age of childhood, i.e., teenagers, like Jack.


	3. Chapter 3

Somewhere in Russia, a teenage boy in a black hoodie, the hood up, flew through the air. He rustled the leaves, blew papers around, and lifted a goldfish out of a bowl, just to startle people. He landed on top of an onion-shaped roof and looked over his work. The black fox, who he had named Mystic, curled around him, crooning happily, as well as all the other fearlings he had met over the centuries. There were about thirty in total, all different animals.

He looked around one more time, then shouted, "Wind! Take us home!" The East Wind picked up, blowing all of them across the ocean, back to Burgess, where it blew a book out of a young boy's hands. "Hey, that looks interesting. Good book?", Jack asked. The boy and two of his friends continued on their way, talking about Easter and the egg hunts. "The Easter Bunny is real.", the boy said. "Oh, he's real alright. Real big, real grumpy, and reeeeal annoying.", Jack said.

The jack o'lantern face on his black hoodie lit up in irritation when he was ignored. He heard the boy's mother say, "Jamie, you better be nice to Sophie or else Jack O'Lantern will come get you", with a teasing smile. "Who's Jack O'Lantern?", Jamie asked. "No one, sweetie. Just an expression.", his mom said. "Hey!", Jack said. Jamie started walking away with his friends. He picked up a leaf, crushed it up, and blew it towards Jamie. It swirled around him, before a soft purple glow surrounded his eyes.

He blinked, then grinned. He picked up a snowball and threw it at Monty. It hit him in the head, and Pippa yelled, "Jamie Bennett, no fair!" "Who says!", Jamie yelled back. An all out snowball war started. It lasted until Pippa hit Cupcake. "Cripe, I hit Cupcake..." "You hit Cupcake..." "She hit Cupcake." Cupcake growled, until another snowball hit her in the face.

Jack smiled from on his staff as the kids gasped. He had mixed one of his leaves into the snowball, and it showed as Cupcake started giggling and soon all of them were running around playing. Jack was laughing and making more snowballs for them. Even though he normally avoided winter, it was fun playing in the snow sometimes.

Jamie was running with his sled until he tripped and slid down into the street. Jack flew beside him, guiding him with the wind, keeping him away from cars. Jamie went up into the air and landed in a snow drift. He stood up and was babbling excitedly until a couch slid into him. His friends winced, and Jamie held his tooth up. "Wow, my tooth came out!", he yelled. "Dude, that means cash!", Claude yelled.

"What? No, no, no! That wasn't the Tooth Fairy! That was me! What's a guy gotta do to get a little attention around here!?", Jack yelled. He gasped as they walked through him. He glared, and flew away. That night he watched sadly as Jamie told his baby sister, Sophie, what happened. Mystic, and a black cat fearling named Cheshire, curled around him, trying to comfort him.


	4. Chapter 4

After Jamie went to bed, Jack was walking along a power line when he saw a trail of golden sand. "Right on time, Sandman.", Jack said. He ran along the power line and almost ran his fingers through the sand, before remembering what happened the last time he did that, and the resulting scolding Sandy gave him. Instead he watched the sand split apart and head to the different children. A gray blur shot past him, and Jack spun around, looking around, his staff in a defensive position. He jumped into the air, flying after the gray blur. He landed in an alleyway, slowly turning and looking around. He could feel Mystic, Cheshire, and some of the others in the shadows.

"'Ello, mate. Been a long time. Easter of '68, wasn't it?" Jack spun around, and saw Aster in the mouth of the alley. "Aster. You're not still mad about that, are you?", he asked, leaning on his staff. Aster was spinning a boomerang in one hand. He pointed it at Jack, and said, "Yes. But that's not what I'm here for. Fellas." Jack was confused, until a yeti grabbed him by the back of his hoodie and stuffed him into a sack, tying it closed.

The yeti threw a snowglobe and said something to Aster. "Not on yer nill. I'll see ya back at the pole.", Aster said, and jumped through a tunnel. The yeti threw Jack through the portal and jumped through. Jack landed roughly, and he could hear people talking. The sack opened and he looked around. "There he is! Jack O'Lantern!", Nick exclaimed. "You gotta be kidding me...", Jack muttered. He climbed out of the sack and looked around. "I hope yeti treated you vell.", Nick said. "Oh, yeah. I love being shoved in a sack and thrown through a magic portal.", Jack said, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Oh, good. It vas my idea.", Nick replied, looking pleased with himself.

"The Easter Bunny, Santa Claus, Tooth Fairy, and Sandman. I must've done something really bad to get you all here. Am I on the naughty list?", Jack asked. Nick laughed, rolled up his sleeves revealing tattoos that said 'NICE' on one arm and 'NAUGHTY' on the other, and said, "ON naughty list? You hold record. But no matter, is vater under bridge, ve are viping clean the slate." Jack looked suspicious, and said, "Why...?" "Vhy? Because you are guardian! Music!", Nick yelled. The elves began playing trumpets, the yeti were twirling flaming batons, which Jack tried to avoid (because pumpkins and leaves catch fire VERY easily, thank you!), and Nick opened a large book.

Jack glared, raised his staff, and slammed in on the ground. Vines sprung up, tying the elves up, and tripping the yeti. A gust of wind put the torches out and Nick had a surprised look on his face. "What makes you think I wanna be a guardian?", Jack asked. Nick laughed and said, "Of course you do. Music!" "No music!", Jack yelled. "Look, I don't mean to be rude, but I just don't think I'm cut out to be a guardian. You're all work and deadlines and I'm jump-scares and pumpkins.", Jack said while sitting on a desk. "You think ve choose who is guardian. You vere chosen. By Man in Moon.", Nick said.

"The Man in the Moon...He talks to you? After three hundred years this is his answer? To spend eternity thinking up new ways to bribe kids? No way. That's not for me! No offence.", Jack said. "Wh-How is that not offensive!? You know what, I think we dodged a bullet. I mean, what does this clown know about bringing joy ta children?", Aster said. "Kids actually like what I do. I mean, it's no hard-boiled egg, but...", Jack said. "But none of 'em believe in ya, do they mate? See, ye're invisible.", Aster said. "Aster.", Toothiana said in warning. "No, no, the kangaroo's right.", Jack said. "Wh-what did ya call me!? I am NOT a kangaroo, mate.", Aster said. "Oh, see now, this whole time I thought you were. If you're not a kangaroo, what are you.", Jack replied. "I'm a bunny. The Easter Bunny. People believe in me.", Aster growled.

Sandy whistled silently, and patted Nick on the arm. "Jack. Walk with me.", Nick said. Jack followed him through the workshop, walking around yeti, and looking at toys. He followed Nick into his workroom, where the door slammed shut and locked behind him. "Now ve get down to tax of brass.", Nick said. "Tax of...", Jack said, confused. Nick backed him up against the door, and got in his face. He was a good half a foot taller than Jack, and despite being lanky for a russian, he was still intimidating. "Who are you, Jack O'Lantern. Vhat is your center?", Nick whisper-yelled. "My center?", Jack asked.

"Man in Moon chose you for reason.", Nick looked around, and picked up a matryoshka doll. "This is how you see me, no? Very tall, very intimidating. But if you look a little deeper- vell go on.", Nick said. Jack took the top off, and said, "You are...downright jolly?" "Yes. And I am also mysterious-", another top, "Fearless-", another top,"Caring. And if you look in my center...", Nick encouraged. "There's a tiny wooden baby.", Jack said. "Look closely.", Nick said. "Agh...you have big eyes?", Jack guessed. "Yes! Big eyes, very big! Because they are filled vith vonder! I have alvays seen the vonder in everything and the magic in the air and trees! This is my center. Vhat is yours?", Nick asked. "I don't know.", Jack replied. "You vill. I have faith in you.", Nick patted him on the back. Aster came running in after that. "We have a problem, mate. Trouble at the Tooth Palace."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone at all wants to do fanart, or use my au, I would love it. Just send me a link in the comments so I can see it!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know what is going on with the format for this chapter.

Jack followed the others to the reindeer stables. Nick pulled on a bright red coat with black fur trim on the cuffs, bottom, and hood. "Hey, hold on a minute! You people are crazy if you think I'm getting in some old, rickety...", Jack paused as the sleigh rolled out. "Okay, one ride, but that's it.", he said. "Everyone loves the sleigh. Aster! Hop in! Hop! Ha!", Nick laughed. "Uh, no offence, but I think my tunnels might be faster, mate. And safer.", Aster said as he kicked the side of the sleigh. "Is nonsense! Get in!", Nick said as he grabbed Aster and flung him into the backseat with Jack and Sandy. Nick cracked the reins and they were off. "Buckle up, is going to be bumpy ride!", he yelled. "Where are the bloody seatbelts!?", Aster exclaimed in fright. "Hah! Is just expression!", Nick answered. They sped down the ice tunnel. "I hope you like the loopty-loops!", Nick yelled back. "I hope you like carrots!", Aster said, looking a little green. Sandy had his arms up like he was on a rollarcoaster. They launched into the air, and Nick shook a snowglobe, whispering, "Tooth Palace...", and threw it. It exploded in mid-air, and they went through the portal. They came out with the Tooth Palace right in front of them. It was swarming with black horse-like things. Aster threw a boomerang at one, and it exploded, golden canisters falling into the sleigh. Aster picked one up and yelled, "They're stealing the teeth!" Sandy ran his fingers through the black sand that had landed on his arm with a worried look. Jack looked out and saw the horses chasing the mini fairies. "They're taking the tooth fairies!", he yelled, flying up and catching one, just in time. He fell back into the sleigh and said, "Hey, little baby tooth, you okay?" The fairy nodded, and hid in his hood. Nick pushed the reins into Jack's hands and said, "Take over!" Nick drew two sabers and started slashing to and fro. Aster threw his boomerangs, and Sandy lashed out with his dreamsand whips. They landed in the palace to see Toothiana flitting about in disbelief. "My fairies...the teeth...everything is gone...everything...", she said. Baby Tooth flew out into her mother's arms. "Oh, thank goodness at least one of you is alright.", Toothiana said in relief. "Well, would you look at that.", said a voice, "The big four, all in one place. I'm a little starstruck. Did you like my show on the globe, Nick? And is that- Jack O'Lantern? Since when are you all so chummy?" "We're not...", Jack said slowly. "Oh, good. A neutral party. Then, I'm going to ignore you. Oh, but you must be used to that by now.", Pitch replied. "Pitch! You have thirty seconds to return my fairies!", Toothiana yelled as she grabbed one of Aster's boomerangs and flew up. "Or you'll what? Stick a quarter under my pillow?", Pitch appeared. Toothiana flew at him, then lurched back as a black horse appeared. "Careful, easy girl, easy. You like it, Sandman? Took me awhile to perfect this little trick. Turning dreams into nightmares. Don't be afraid. It only riles them up more.", Pitch said. Sandy swirled some of his sand, looking at it, then glared at Pitch. "Ha! Afraid? Of you? No one's been afraid of you since the dark ages!", Aster yelled. "Oh, the dark ages. Such happy times for me. The power I wielded. At least until you all came along. Filling children with hope and wonder. Meanwhile, I was just written off as a bad dream. Oh, don't worry, there's no such thing as the Boogieman. I'm tired of hiding under beds.", Pitch said. "Maybe that's where you belong!", Aster yelled. "Oh, look. It's happening already.", Pitch said as the palace began to disintegrate. "What is?", Jack asked. "Oh, they didn't tell you? Being a guardian is all well and good, but if enough kids stop believing they lose their power. Children are waking up, and realizing the Tooth Fairy never came.", Pitch said. "You know, it's strange that you're with them, Jack. You're closer to my kind than you are their's after all.", Pitch said. "Jack, what is he talking about?", Toothiana asked. "Manny didn't tell you? The boy is half fearling! He even has a minor army of them, all waiting in the shadows for him to lead.", Pitch said. "Jack...is that true?", Toothiana asked. "If you don't believe me, have him stand by Sanderson. See if the sand doesn't turn darker.", Pitch sneered. Sandy floated over to Jack, and pressed a kiss to Jack's cheek. Sandy's lips turned almost black, and he pulled away, his lips going back to their normal gold. Toothiana gasped, and said, "Oh, Jack, why didn't you tell us?" "It's not exactly smiled upon...", Jack said bitterly. Sandy glared at Pitch, and flew at him, whips appearing. Pitch's eyes widened, and he fled into the shadows. Sandy huffed, and flew back to the others. He hugged Jack, ignoring the black spreading from the contact. He pulled away and pressed a kiss to Jack's lips, his own turning dark again. He formed a heart over his head, smiling at Jack. Nick looked on, smiling to himself, while Aster was trying to keep from grinding his teeth in jealousy. Who he was jealous of between the two, he had no clue.


	6. Chapter 6

Jack followed the others out to the gardens, where Toothiana was kneeling with Baby Tooth. Jack looked down at her from where he hovered, and asked, "Why would Pitch take the teeth?" "The teeth hold all the good memories from childhood. We collect them, and remind people of the good times whenever things look dark.", Toothiana replied, "We even had yours, from before you were Jack O'Lantern."

Jack looked confused, and said, "But...I wasn't anyone before I was Jack O'Lantern...Are you saying...that I had a life, a family!?" Toothiana looked at him in concern, and asked, "You really don't remember?" "That night in the clearing...I just assumed...You have to show me!", Jack yelled, flying up high. "I can't, Jack. Pitch took all the teeth.", Toothiana replied. Jack stopped, and turned back with a manic grin that was slighty unnerving.

"Then we have to get them back!", he yelled, pointing his staff as he landed. "Hold it, hold it!", Nick yelled, then started mumbling to himself. He grinned and turned quickly, pointing his sabers at Aster, who jerked back, two seconds away from getting his nose sliced off. "Idea! VE vill collect the teeth!", Nick yelled.

"What!? We're talking 7 continents, millions of kids-!", Toothiana yelled. "Please, do you have any idea how many presents I deliver in one night?", Nich asked. "And eggs I hide in one day?", Aster asked. Nick turned to Jack, and said, "But, ve need your help Jack." Jack looked at them, as Sanderson grinned, and said with a grin of his own, "I'm in."


	7. Chapter 7

"Woohoo!", Jack yelled as he flew through the air. Aster was running from roof to roof on all fours next to him. "Eh, what's the matter, Cottontail? Think you're faster than me?", Jack asked. "Oh, you don't wanna race a bunny, mate.", Aster said with a grin, speeding up. "Race? Race!? Is race?!? Haha!!! Ve vill see who collects most teeth!", Nick yelled as he popped into and out of chimneys, his lanky frame helping him move quicker.

Sanderson was flying around, looking like an amused parent. Toothiana was racing this way and that, raving about teeth, until she almost flew into a billboard. Jack, Aster, Nick, and Sanderson were all trying to outdo each other. Jack suddenly stopped midflight and grinned as he got an idea. "Hey, Cottontail! Think you're faster than my friends?", he yelled. Aster stopped, and asked, "What friends?" Jack whistled high and loud, and Mystic, Cheshire, and all the others flew out and swirled around him, whipping at his hair and clothes. He laughed, and it was only slightly manic, as the others all stopped and stared.

Sanderson grinned and flew around with them, while Nick laughed and Toothiana giggled. Aster laid his ears back until he saw Jack's expression. It was one of pure, childlike joy. "Alright, guys! Go get the teeth! Make sure to leave coins, and don't be seen!", Jack called, and the fearlings dispersed until only Mystic and Cheshire were left. The teeth collecting began again, and it went by even faster.

The Guardians stopped at Jamie's house, Toothiana giving Jack a pointed look when she held the tooth. When Jamie woke up, Jack couldn't resist giving Aster a scare, and set off the alarm, also setting Jamie's dog off as well. Aster ran around the room until Sanderson knocked all of them out on accident. A nightmare flew past the window, and he and Jack followed it. They landed in a street where the nightmares surrounded them.

"You take the ones on the left, I'll take the ones on the right..?", Jack asked. Sanderson shrugged with a look that said, 'I have no idea.' Pitch appeared, looking them up and down, before he said, "Boo." And the nightmares were on them. Jack and Sanderson fought them off, flying high up, Sanderson's whips cracking every few seconds, and Jack's staff flashing purple and rotting the nightmares to dust.

He looked up in time to see the others, still half asleep, flying in on the sleigh. He looked to the right and saw Sanderson surrounded by nightmares, Pitch drawing a sand arrow back. "No...no!", he yelled, flying as fast as he could. The wind pushed him along, but it wasn't enough, he wouldn't make it, he had to make it! He let out a burst of power that propelled him forward and knocked Sanderson out of the way. The arrow hit him in the side, and for a moment, Jack saw black.

Nothing.

Then his vision came back. His skin was crawling, a voice in his head howling out for blood, his fearlings in a frenzy around him. He watched as his skin turned grey, his nails turned into black claws, the face on his hoodie become warped and ugly. His teeth sharpened to knives, his vision was tinted purple, and white hair streaked with black fell in his eyes. He opened his mouth, and a terrifying howl ripped out of his throat. He could hear the others yelling for him, but all he could see was Pitch. He was looking at him with pure terror.

Jack looked over to where Sanderson floated, frozen, staring at him in shock. Jack's expression of rage softened as the voice quieted. "S...Sanderson...", his voice sounded warped, doubled, barely recognizable. He barely registered Pitch fleeing with his nightmares. All he could see was Sanderson, and, when the sleigh flew around them, Aster. Oh, Aster was even worse. He was staring at Jack in pure horror. Jack's skin stopped crawling as the voice shrank back with a whimper. His appearance went back to normal, no longer nightmarish. Then he fell, and everything went black again.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is where the Jackrabbit and Goldenfrost start to really kick into high gear. Also, I am pretty sure that I spelled the curse that North says wrong, so please don't say anything about, I know, and I apologize if it offends anyone from, is, or who speaks russian.

Sanderson snapped out of his shock when Jack fell, rocketing down towards him, catching him in midair. He flew back to the sleigh, ignoring the way his sand darkened where they touched. He landed next to Aster, setting Jack down gently, brushing his bangs back gently. Aster snapped out of his stupor as well, checking Jack for injuries. His side was bleeding a sluggish purple liquid where the arrow hit. Aster tried to use his life magic to heal him, but it just turned purple and fizzled out when he got near Jack.

Sanderson was chewing his bottom lip in worry, while Nick and Toothiana steered back to the pole. Half way there, Jack came to. His eyes fluttered open, flashing purple for a second, and Sanderson hugged him tight. "Oof! Sanderson! I get it, you're happy, now quit trying to suffocate me!", Jack yelped. "God, Jack, we were bloody worried about ya.", Aster said. Sanderson suddenly remembered something, looking straight into Jack's eyes, looking for even a hint of black around the iris. The sight of Jack's haunting purple eyes surrounded by inky black was enough to give even Sanderson nightmares. Sanderson let out a silent sigh of relief when he found no black around the purple.

He let go long enough for Aster to pull Jack into a tight hug. "Don't eva do somethin' like tha' again, ya bloomin' arse. I was scared Pitch had turned ya into a fearling for good.", Aster half growled, half whimpered, nuzzling the top of Jack's head with his chin. Jack's eyes widened when he was hugged, but slipped closed when he was nuzzled. He relaxed into the embrace, letting Aster pull him into his lap while Sanderson played with Jack's hair. He was soon asleep again.

When he woke up again, he was in a room at the pole, Aster curled around his back, and Sanderson against his side. Sanderson blinked his eyes open when Jack shifted. He smiled at Jack when his eyes focused, the gap in his front teeth visible. "Hey, Sanderson. How long have we been asleep?", Jack asked quietly. Aster's ear twitched and he slowly opened his eyes, blinking sleep away. "Jack...?", he asked, "How are ya feelin'?" Jack turned towards him, Sanderson wrapping an arm around his waist from behind.

"Better. Definitely not as tired as I usually am. My side hurts a little.", Jack answered. "Up. Lemme see it.", Aster ordered. Jack sat up, lifting one side of his hoodie. His left side had a large purple-black bruise covering most of it, but the bleeding had stopped, and the gash had healed. "Hmm...I think I might have somethin' back at the warren for this...", Aster trailed off as realization dawned on him. "Aw, cripe! The warren! Easter is in a little over two weeks!", he cried. "Aster! Calm down. Can't the others help you with Easter?", Jack asked. Aster stopped his panicking enough to consider this. "That...actually isn't a bad idea.", he said slowly.

"Of course it isn't. I might be nothing more than a glorified gardner, but I still have good ideas.", Jack said smugly. "You're pumpkins are always perfect, Jack, no human farmer can do what you can. I can't even get pumpkins to grow right.", Aster said absently, already thinking out a plan of action for Easter. He did notice how Jack's cheeks turned dark orange, however. "Huh. So you do turn into a pumpkin when you get embarrassed.", Aster said, smirking. Sanderson was silently laughing his ass off. Jack immediately looked honest-to-god offended. "That is a joke that the stupid winter spirits came up with and I hate it! I do NOT look like a pumpkin!", he yelled. Aster laughed, then calmed down enough to be serious again.

"C'mon. We need the others.", Aster said, already out the door. Jack and Sanderson followed as Aster ran into the globe room, where the lights were slowly dying out. "We can still turn this around. Easter is in two weeks. And I need your help.", he was saying. "I'm in. Sanderson?", Jack said immediately. Sanderson gave an enthusiastic nod in agreement. "Vell then, is settled! Ve help rabbit vith Easter! Cannot believe am saying this, but this once, Easter is more important than Christmas.", Nick said. Aster grinned in triumph. "To the sleigh!", Nick yelled. "Oh, no, mate! If we're doin' this, we're doin' it my way. Buckle up.", Aster grinned as he opened a giant tunnel. "Shosticavitch...", Nick cursed before he and the others fell down.


	9. Chapter 9

Sanderson grinned, Jack whooped, Nick cursed in russian, Toothiana just flew down, and Aster ran as they passed through the tunnel. When they came out, they were in a beautiful meadow, egg golems walking around, and Jack was in aw. "Welcome to the Warren.", Aster said with a grin. Jack and Sanderson's heartbeats sped up at that smile. They shared a grin, and started flying around, pumpkin vines springing up after Jack. They all took up painting the eggs until a noise caused all of them to tense. They were in battle positions in a second. They waited and out came...a toddler. More specifically, Sophie Bennett.

"So, let me get this straight. You dropped a snowglobe in Jamie's room and Sophie found it and ended up here? Really?", Jack asked incredulously. Nick shrugged with a sheepish grin. "She can't be here! She'll just get in the way!", Aster said. "I don't think so. You all haven't been around kids in a while, have you?", Jack asked. "We're around 'em all the time!", Aster said. "But you haven't actually interacted with them. You haven't played with them, seen their imaginations go wild, listened to their crazy ideas.", Jack said, "Seen the way their eyes light up when they have fun." He pulled a leaf from his pocket, crushing it up, and blowing it away. The dust flew until it hit Aster, a purple glow around his eyes, a grin breaking out on his face.

Sanderson and the others watched in aw as Jack got Aster to let Sophie stay. They continued to paint eggs, Sophie helping, until they were all painted. Jack had water from the dye river in his hair, turning it purple in places. Aster and Sanderson silently agreed that it was a good look for him. Sophie yawned, and Jack offered to take her home. "I'll come with. It ain't safe with Pitch out there.", Aster said, "And I can hide a few eggs early on the way." They brought Sophie home, tucking her into bed. "Yer real good with kids, ain't ya, Lantern?", Aster said. "Yeah...I guess I am...I just like seeing them smile and play.", Jack replied. Aster's expression softened, and he said, "C'mon. Let's get goin'." "Yeah, sure. Lead the way.", Jack said. They started back to the warren, when Aster pulled Jack towards the forest.

"Aster? Shouldn't we get back to the others?", Jack asked. "They can wait. Right now, I just wanna be alone with ya, and show ya just how perfect ya are. I thought ya were just a pesky spirit, but yer so much more than that. I've fallen for ya harder than I thought possible.", Aster breathed. Jack's cheeks turned orange, and his eyes widened as Aster pulled him into a kiss, before slipping closed. Aster pulled him deeper into the forest, murmuring sinful promises of what was to come against his skin.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> THIS CHAPPIE CONTAINS SMEXY LEMONY GOODNESS BEWARE

Jack panted as Aster sucked at the skin of his throat. He had been pushed to the ground, his hoodie and pants shucked off, leaving him bare before Aster. Jack shivered as Aster sucked particularly hard at a place that sent jolts of electricity through him. Jack bit his lip to keep quiet before Aster smoothed his thumb over it. "Don't do that. I want to hear you scream for me.", Aster growled, low and feral, his eyes half-lidded, pupils blown wide. Jack gasped and moaned when Aster ground their hips together.

He wrapped his arms around Aster's shoulders when he felt Aster's fingers prodding at his entrance, pushing in the slightest bit before pulling back out, and doing it again. A whine pulled out of Jack's throat, and Aster chuckled lowly. Jack's hips bucked before Aster pinned them down with a hand, finally pushing his fingers into Jack's hole. Jack arched his back at the intrusion, moaning loudly when Aster spread his fingers, stretching him open.

He whimpered when Aster pulled his fingers out, but it quickly morphed into scream when Aster slowly pushed his cock inside. Aster groaned at how tight Jack was, even with the stretching. He knew Jack was a virgin, but damn! Jack squeezed around Aster's cock when he pulled out, only the tip remaining inside, and Jack screamed again when Aster thrust back in, hitting his prostate dead center.

Aster started a brutal pace that had Jack screaming into his shoulder. Aster could feel the coil in his stomach getting tighter, so he reached down and palmed at Jack's cock, stroking it in time with his thrusts. Jack was beyond words, and just moaned and screamed as Aster overwhelmed him with sensations. Jack bit into Aster's shoulder to muffle his scream as he came, the sting sending Aster over the edge, filling Jack up, his knot swelling, locking them together.

After they caught their breath, and Aster's knot went down, Aster pulled out and started cleaning both of them up. Jack's fingers traced something over his heart. He looked at his chest, seeing the black jack-o'-lantern covered in gold swirls appear over his heart. He looked at Jack's chest and a swell of pride in his chest when he saw the easter egg with gold patterns on it form.

They looked at the marks, then looked at each other. They grinned, and said, "Sanderson.", at the same time. Aster gathered Jack up in his arms, leaning against a tree, and said, "That can wait for later, though. Right now, I want ya to myself." Jack blushed, grinning, and ducked his head. He burrowed closer to Aster, laying his head against Aster's chest. He closed his eyes, smiling in joy.


	11. Chapter 11

Aster and Jack hurriedly pulled their clothes back on, jumping into a tunnel and down into the Warren. The others were still there, waiting for them. "Where have you two been? We were starting to get worried!", Toothiana fretted. "We, ah, we got a bit... side-tracked.", Aster replied Jack's cheeks turned orange, and Sanderson started silently snickering. Toothiana looked between the three of them before it dawned on her, her cheeks flaming red. "This is hardly the time for that!", she squawked. Sanderson floated over and proceeded to hound Jack for details, to which Jack's cheeks turned from orange to purple.

"How do ve hide eggs on Easter eve?", Nick asked, to which Jack was very grateful because it distracted Sanderson. "Hide them in places easily accessible ta children. Hide three together at the most. Make sure they're hidden but not so much that they can't be found. I usually try to let the ankle biters catch a glimpse of me in some places, but...", Aster glanced to Jack, who dropped his eyes to his feet. "Anyway, it shouldn't be too hard for ya.", he said, "Besides we still have a couple days left till Easter. It should get belief back up."

"Umm... guys?", Jack said. "Vhat is it, Jack?", Nick replied. "Is what Pitch said... about the belief... true...?", he asked. "Well... yes, it is. If enough kids stop believing in us... we disappear, and so does our center.", Aster said. "So what... what would've happened... to me... if I had accepted...?", Jack asked in a whisper. The others froze. They hadn't thought of that. If Jack became a Guardian... without any believers... It was unthinkable, in Aster and Sanderson's opinions.

"We'll figure out how ta get ya believers, mate. We just have ta get a bit creative with it.", Aster said. "There's no way we're letting you disappear before we can get to know you better!", Toothiana declared. Sanderson grinned, nodding his head wildly, while Nick laughed loudly. "Is true!l, he boomed. Jack smiled widely, fighting back tears. He didn't know whether he had had a family before he was Jack O'Lantern, but he did know he had one now. And there was no way he would lose them now.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I have no excuse but I hope this slightly makes up for the wait.

Jack watched the kids play from his place in a tree, thinking back on the chaos of the last few days. Pitch was defeated, Jack got his memories back, and he had believers now! It was almost too good to be true. "Jack, come play with us!", Jamie called, waving him down. Jack quickly floated down with Mystic following.

Jack played with the kids until the sun started to go down and they had to go inside. After that he walked along the power lines until the golden sand moved through the air into the different windows. He flew up and landed lightly on the dreamsand cloud. Sanderson turned and grinned at the autumn sprite. The dream weaver moved forward and gave Jack a kiss on the cheek, ignoring the way the sand darkened where they touched.

Sanderson formed images above his head in quick succession, a confused expression on his face. "Just thought I'd come say hi. See how you were doing," Jack stated, a mischievous glint in his eyes. Sanderson looked unconvinced and showed as much with his sand. "Alright, alright, you got me. I was bored to tears and was wondering if you could possibly... Entertain me, after you've finished giving out dreams?", Jack grinned, linking his and Sanderson's fingers. Sanderson grinned back, eyes falling half closed, forming images to say that he would think about it.

Jack pouted as Sanderson returned to his work. He sat down with a huff and looked up at the moon. The autumn sprite frowned as he felt the urge to hide from the light. He wrapped his arms around himself as his skin started to crawl again. It had happened a few times since the arrow incident, but he hadn't told any of the others, especially not Aster and Sanderson.

Jack squeezed his eyes shut and tried to ignore the whispers in his head telling him to stop fighting the instincts. He opened the again when he felt a hand on his shoulder, finding Sanderson staring at him with concern etched onto his face. The concern grew into worry when he saw the black bleeding into the whites of Jack's eyes. He pulled Jack to face him fully and started to form images over his head, asking several questions at once. Jack waved them away and tried to grin his worry away.

When that didn't work, and Sanderson kept trying to question him, Jack jumped up and floated on the wind. "I just remembered, I should really get to work! The leaves don't paint themselves, you know!", he laughed nervously, the whispers getting louder. He flew off, leaving Sanderson to stare with growing worry at him. The dream spirit looked to the moon with an expression of almost fear for the autumn sprite, silently pleading for everything to be alright.


End file.
